


EXEC_B_SANA/

by crying_trash



Category: Ar tonelico, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, BAMF!Jin, BAMF!Yoongi, Jin swears a lot at Yoongi, Jin swears a lot when he is angry, Kim Seokjin | Jin-centric, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Slow Burn, Songs have magic, Violence, yoonjin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-03-18 16:19:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13685295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crying_trash/pseuds/crying_trash
Summary: Jin is a Reyvtail, a being that can use magic by singing.He likes traveling and going from town to town helping and healing people with his songs.Until he went in the wrong place at the wrong time and met Yoongi, a stranger that forces him to help him to get rid of the knights that are on his tracks.In the end Jin decides to aid Yoongi in his quest and they start to travel together. What he didn't expect  was to learn how twisted the world is and he does that he swore to never do: sing to hurt.





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a preface, to see if people are interested in this kind of fanfiction. If i do start to write it it will be pretty long.  
> ATTENTION: if you decided to read the fanfiction and DO NOT want any spoilers do not read this. It mostly explains the world but it has minor spoilers, nothing big but still. If you are not sure if the fanfiction is for your taste, you can read this and then you can decide if you should click away or not.
> 
> A lot of the elements in forming this world are taken from the game Ar Tonelico (has his own wiki if you are interested but damn, after playing the game 5-6 times i still don't understand half of it).
> 
> On twitter i am> Noble_Iris_

* * *

* * *

**PREFACE**

* * *

 

 

In a world where magic exists, two huge disasters caused the splitting of the earth and in fear of going into extinction humans, uniting forces with magical beings, created the Towers. Three huge magical Towers that could draw together those little parts of land that didn't fall in the Sea of Death, into nothingness.

Unfortunately humans had advanced technology but no magic, so keeping the Towers working for long periods of time was impossible. The Towers were full of wild magic and very unstable.

Until three human- looking beings that could use magic thru songs came and linked themselves to the Towers so they could control them: they called themselves Reyvtails.

The Reyvtails gave the Towers stability to keep going and the Towers gave them power for their songs in return.

But clones of the three original Reyvtails started to appear and mingle with humans, creating a new race: the half-blood Reyvtails. The Reyvtails started to be seen as humans, but with magical powers: they could use the power from the Tower to infuse their songs and heal, support or attack. Most of them could use these powers only after accomplishing 15 years and they often had an affinity to one of the elements. But as it is, the half- blood Reyvtails were not that powerful since not every song was magical, they had to be learned. Reyvtails could learn songs by triggering a strong feeling, by inserting Hymn crystals with a specific song in their port behind their neck or by diving in their Cosmosphere, a world in their head and by helping them there you could discover specific Hymn codes that trigger new songs. Reyvateils were also divided by their Cosmosphere levels: with one being the lowest; a Reyvtail with level one could use just the preknown Hymns that are triggered after 15 years: one to heal minor injuries and one to form a firebolt. But a Reyvtail with level ten it's said that could form barriers big as an entire city and call lighting storms at their will but no one ever saw one, the highest level found in all the written archives was a level six. Only the three original Reyvtails didn't have a Cosmosphere.

Unfortunately being a half-blood Reyvtail was also a death sentence since they couldn't survive over 22 years old. But the Church started to help them. Worshiping the Trio of Elemia and thinking that Reyvtails are the ones that are the key to the Utopia, the Church found a serum that could prolong a Reyvtail's life if took every six months. The Church keeps the serum secret and it's given just to the ones that accept to serve the Church and their people.

With the Towers now working properly, humans started to create more and the city Platina started being build in the middle of one of the Towers. But only humans with a stable or better income could reach there, being built almost in the sky, the city could be reached only by airships, so the people started to get separated in the Lower World: people that lived on the actual land that the Towers keep together, most of them consisting of the working class and the Upper World: people that lived in Platina, most of them being knights and the highest power in the world: The Commander.

* * *

 

Jin was only a low level Reyvtail and he decided to travel the Lower World to help people. He didn't have much to live, being 21, and since he didn't want to join the Church he decided to spend this remaining life healing people with what little power he had.

Unfortunately his normal life gets turned upside down when a stranger forces him to help him to get rid of the Knights of Eorjia from Platina that are following him.

 

* * *

* * *

* * *

                                                         [](https://imgbb.com/)

 

The world where the story will happen: [World map](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/artonelico/images/c/c6/Sol_Ciel_Map_Full_1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120201054407)  [Full Tower](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/artonelico/images/4/40/First_Tower.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110129172153)


	2. Chapter 1

                                                                      [](https://ibb.co/gK0dqn)

 

* * *

 

Jin watched from afar as the child started running towards his mother, the later one sending his way a little smile before turning towards the more busy part of the little town.

He stretched his arms and looked towards the the Tower, Ar Ciel. It would never get strange to look at the sky and see the huge Tower that was keeping them alive. For someone from the Lower World the Tower was like something out of a storybook. Fascinating and unable to understand how it could exist.

He noticed that the sun was almost ready to disappear for today so he straightened and hurried towards his last job in this town. Located in the east side of the Wings of Horus, the land that the Tower was keeping floating, this place was more of a conglomerate of some houses in one of the margins of the Haerui Forest, one of the most hostile places on the floating land. He arrived here by mistake since his actual intention was to go towards south and help the towns that tried to keep themselves going there but he never expected someone to live so close to one of the most dangerous places.

He knocked on the wood door but he didn't wait for a response as he opened it slowly. The creaking noise that it made attracted the attention of the only occupant of the house.

''Oh, Jin! Come on in dear.''

With a smile Jin entered and watched as the old lady continued to read swinging in her old chair.

''I will have to leave in some minutes, I just wanted to say goodbye first and see if your leg healed fine.'' he said sitting himself on the bed.

Kaia, the old lady, put her book down and started regarding Jin with wise, tired eyes. After some minutes of silence she left a puff of air, her lips drawn tight.

''It healed just fine. For a so called low level Reyvtail you did a better job than our medic.'' she said picking the book and starting to read again. ''You won't be coming back, right?''

Jin leaned back on the bed at looked at the ceiling.

''No, I will travel to east. I heard that the towns there lack older Reyvtail that know how to use magic. A lot of them start to leave to join the Church and there's no one left to help.'' _And even if I'd want to return, I don't think I have time left._ continued in his mind but he could bet that Kaia still heard him.

''Ok lad, but take care.'' said in a more grave tone that made Jin frown.

''Mmh?''

''Some of our men said that they saw some knights patrolling around here, even in and out of the forest, which let me tell you, you have to be suicidal or wrong in the head to go in there.''

That made Jin sit more attentive.

''Knights? Around here? They were of the Church? Even then it's stra-''

''They think they were Knights of Eorjia.''

''What? From the Upper World? They never come back here if not for a serious issue. They let the Church rule the Lower World.''

''Exactly. If it's true that they are from Platina then it means that they are searching something or someone. They don't come down here for nothing. Don't go in their way, we don't know what kind of bastards they are.''

Jin got up and smiled. He would miss this little town but it was time to go.

''I will, I didn't travel and survived for years without knowing how to handle this kind of situations.'' he replied and he saw the sceptic look he received but with a last smile and a wave towards the old lady he left, closing the door behind him.

Jin looked in his bag to see if he had all the things needed for the road. It wasn't much since he didn't bring weapons with him, just some rations and herbs.

Unfortunately the only way out of this town was actually towards the road where the knights were rumored to patrol or the forest itself and since Jin didn't have a death wish he started walking, hoping not to meet any people on the way. This was also the reason he travelled mostly at night even if it could be more dangerous but he had songs at his disposition that could protect him. He tried to avoid meeting anyone until he arrived in town.

The road was smaller than he thought, with trees so high it hid the Tower on either side and with the sun setting it casted creepy shadows on the ground. If Jin was a normal human he would have run a long time ago, but years on the road made him used to this kind of sight. It still didn't mean that he didn't flinch once in a while when the wind played with the trees.

He was calculating how much time he had until the day's light was gone for good when he heard a noise between the trees to his right. It was natural to hear sounds coming from the forest, there were a lot of wild animals, some even magical, and this was why the place was so dangerous. But most of them lived well within the woods and the noise was too close to the road for his liking.

He started walking faster, looking behind him to be sure that hopefully it was just his imagination, when he noticed two knights some meters in front of him. He couldn't pinpoint to what order they belonged, but the shining, metal plates they wore were unmistakable. No one around here could afford to buy or wear armour. They didn't notice him so he stopped, and almost tiptoeing he started walking backwards but unfortunately in that moment other two came from within the trees and joined them, all four pairs of eyes looking on the road, right at him.

 _It's time to run._ he thought as the turned around and started walking from where he came but, as lucky as he seemed to be, an other figure walked out from the woods. This time it wasn't a knight since the guy wasn't wearing a full armour even if over his, still quite strange looking, clothes he was wearing black plates on his shoulder, at his elbows and knees.

Jin started panicking a bit, finally understanding the situation. These knights were looking for the guy in front of him. And he was right in the middle.

When he heard the clattering of metal moving his thoughts ran out of the window and started to run in the woods. He would fight wolves and all the wild animals of the Haerui Forest than to stay in between the knights and whatever that dude was but to his horror the guy started running after him.

 _What the actual fuck._ he thought right as a hand gripped his arm halting him, almost making him slip on the ground's moss. The hand quickly moved to straighten him and he stumbled, touching his back to the guy's chest. He felt cold fingers gripping the collar of his lace shirt and pulling down, revealing the back of his neck. Fear started to bloom in his chest and he almost didn't hear the other four guys making a stop a few meters away.

''You have a port on the back of your neck. You are a Reyvateil.'' said the gruff, flat voice from behind him. The guy moved, putting his forearm around his chest, almost making his unable to breath.

Jin finally looked ahead of him, his eyes almost bulging out of his skull when he met four fierce pairs of eyes. But what made his breath stop in his lungs was that he couldn't recognize them as knights of the Church. Their armour was more intricate and graved in black rather than the more simple red ones of the Church's.

They were surely from Platina.

And they were marching right at him with their swords drawn. He started to struggle but the fucker was keeping him immobile, using him as a shield.

''Let me go, what the hell! I've got nothing to do with you!'' he hissed stomping his foot and kicking backwards. He was taller than the other guy but he could tell that he wasn't as strong.

''Really? Using an innocent as a shield? That's pretty low.'' said one of the knights and he almost wanted to applaud him if wasn't for the fact that they were still walking towards him with their swords pointed in front!

''Do I look like I care?'' the guy replied in a bored tone and then almost whispering continued ''Sing.''

Jin wanted so much to smack him and he thought of moving his head backwards and hopefully break his nose but he knew he couldn't.

''The fuck? You can't force a Reyvateil to sing! Do you even know how it works, are you that much of an i-?'' he said back but stopped when he felt something sharp pressing in his lower back.

Fuck. Great. Awesome. This was his lucky day.

''You will sing and get rid of these knights or will die from a knife in your back since I won't need you or just be chopped by their swords because believe me, they actually don't give a fuck that you are innocent.'' and as he finished he pushed the blade more in his skin and Jin arched his back trying to get away from it.

''I don't even know if I can! I am a low lev-'' he tried to replied but to his horror the knights were advancing faster and the guy noticing so, started walking backwards with him.

''Now!'' he screamed in his ear and Jin, after some curses towards the dude, closed his eyes, praying that his emotional state won't affect too much the song.

And so he opened his mouth, starting to sing.

 

**_Follow the sound of the pipe, follow this song_ **   
**_It’s a bit dangerous but I’m so sweet_ **   
**_I’m here to save you, I’m here to ruin you_ **   
**_You called me, see? I’m so sweet_ **   
**_Follow the sound of the pipe_ **

 

At first nothing happened, the knights stopped walking, a bit surprised that the guy in white was actually a Reyvtail. Then they saw white light gathering above the brunet's head slowly forming letters: EXEC_B_ LAPIS.

They looked at each other frowning but since nothing changed they started moving towards their mission again.

Jin for a moment doubted that it will work since emotions affected a Reyvtail song's power but after some seconds he could feel the power his words were gathering, sending waves of pure energy through his body making him almost weightless and when the Hymn code of the song finished forming above his head he sang the last part.

 

_**I’m takin’ over you  
I’m takin’ over you** _

_**You know it has already started  
The moment you hear that sound** _

 

The knights couldn't even make more than two steps when they started feeling their muscles go heavy like a stone. They started panicking when the feeling started spreading towards their torso and arms.

Jin closed his mouth, and biting his lips, watched their fearful expressions and felt a pang so strong in his chest that almost doubled over if not for the arm immobilizing him.

 _It doesn't hurt. I know it doesn't hurt them, they are just scared. It doesn't hurt._ tried to rationalize with himself. It wasn't a song that hurt, he knew it, but it didn't change the fact that he still started to feel guilty.

Suddenly the arm across his chest disappeared, moving to grip his wrist.

''What-'' he started to say but he was abruptly tugged, the guy starting to run away and Jin was forced to follow. Unfortunately the idiot also started to run towards the more dangerous area of the forest.

''Hey! Let me go! I did what you wanted!'' he screamed trying to halt the guy but he was way too strong for him. ''Where are you going!?''

''Stop screaming! You will wake up all the animals and then we will have other problems. How much does the spell last?'' the other responded without even looking behind.

''I donțt know, a couple of minutes but since I sang in a distressed situation it will last just half the time I presume, why? And will you stop? I need to take the road towards south not walking in the middle of the forest!''

''Ok, so we need to put as much distance between us and the knights as possible and please shut up.''

''We? Us? No, no! There's no w-'' but he didn't finish because he bumped in the guy's back. The later turned slowly towards him and Jin gulped when he noticed the murderous look on his face. He then noticed the knife in his other hand and how he was playing with it and the brunet didn't even suppressed the shiver that went up his spine when he remembered that that thing has been pushed in his back. It was pretty big for a knife but much shorter than the knights' swords. It had a beautiful carved handle, with green, shining stones but the circa 30 centimeters blade had a really sharp point that Jin prayed to never see up close.

''Listen, as you probably noticed I am not from here. I need a guide to be able to walk in the Lower World and you are also a Reyvtail. I don't care about your level as long as you can heal. So'' he said drawing the 'o' out and gripping his wrist tighter ''you are coming with me.''

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artist: Naohiro.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to slowly write this.  
> English is my third language and i don't have a beta.  
> If i made mistakes it's because i am trash.
> 
>  
> 
> [Artist: sergeyzabelin]

                                                                      [](https://ibb.co/nggV8H)

 

 

The sun was setting and fear gripped him tighter than the guy's hand on his wrist. No one knew exactly what kind of creatures lived here since once you entered these woods it was really difficult to come out alive. The worst thing wasn't the fact that it was night, that creatures may be already on their tracks, he didn't even think about the knights that may or may not followed them. It was the fact that he was beginning to feel the effects of the spell.

He used it only once before and there was a reason he never did it again.

''Do you know how to get out of this forest?'' he other asked him after some time.

''Do I look to you like I walk regularly in the middle of the woods?'' Jin snapped looking behind his back. He was conscious of the forest's noises like never before. They really had to get out of there fast or would end up dead.

He gritted his teeth when he almost tripped and the guy helped him straighten without even looking at him. He could feel his energy slipping from his body like it was water. Even his breathing started to be affected, making him pant heavily, even if usually he was way more resistant and could walk hours without getting tired.

''Is there something wrong?'' asked the voice in front of him and just then he noticed that they stopped.

Jin closed his eyes and shook his head but an ache started to build in his skull at the motion. He blinked a few times then rised his head to answer but his breath stopped in his lungs.

''Fuck.'' he whispered and the shorter of the two turned around when he noticed that the brunet was looking over his shoulders. He started to unconsciously retreat and go near Jin. He searched for his twin knife and now with both in his hands went in a defensive position.

The two creatures in front on them looked like some wolves if it wasn't for their abnormal canines and body size. They were just curiously sniffing the air but both knew that it could go very wrong very fast if they decided to pounce.

''Tell me that wolves are not really looking like this.'' the guy mumbled and Jin whipped his head surprised towards him.

''You never saw a wolf before?'' he asked quietly still watching the creatures with the corners of his eyes.

''Well, in the Upper World we don't have woods. It's just a big ass city.'' he responded. ''What should we do? Can you sing again?'' and this was the proof that he didn't actually know anything about Reyvtails.

Jin felt his eye twitch and took a deep breath so he won't do something that will regret later. His first priority was to get out of here and he knew he needed the guy since in a couple of minutes the full effect of the spell used would hit him. He could feel his legs almost turning to jelly the more he stayed upright.

He looked up when the light started to disappear and cursed. Even if the sky was clear, the moon wasn't high enough to give them some light, with the trees being so tall, so they could barely see in front of them. But they could still hear the unmistakable puffs of air of the creatures.

''We can't-'' he started but suddenly he's being shoved aside as growls start to resound around them. The creatures finally decided what to so. And that probably was to eat them.

The guy got up immediately putting himself in a defensive position with the knives drawn and Jin did the same even if slower. They quickly dodged when one of them leaped with an extended paw, snarling.

Jin started to feel a bit dizzy from all this rapid moving and he knew he didn't have much time. They had to fight the creatures, or at least to make them go away but with no light they couldn't do much.

''Look'' he whispered as they hid behind a tree, panting ''I don't have much time. Do you thing you can take them out? Or at least hurt their legs so they won't be able to run after us?''

The guy frowned but answered as he took him by the arm, moving behind an other tree. He saw that the brunet could barely run at this point. Something was wrong with him. Even if he was a Reyvtail that didn't move around much, getting tired after not even 30 minutes of walking was weird.

''Yes, but I can't see and I can't fight them close up.''

Jin looked around for the creatures as he responded.

''I can help you with that but I need to move further up, I have to hide and sing. You will need to take them out.''

The smaller of the two nodded. Even if he didn't trust the Reyvtail he knew that he wouldn't leave him alone to fight because they'd probably both die. He was tired and couldn't outrun the wolves.

He looked around to seek a better position to attack the creatures while the other hid and did what he wanted to do when he felt a light touch on the upper arm. He turned and he was surprised to notice that the Reyvtail was looking as him with a gloomy, resigned expression.

''Please don't let me die.'' he whispered before darting towards the next tree but when he tried to move to the next one he almost slipped, holding himself on the bark and to his horror he noticed a blur passing by him and running towards the Reyvtail.

 _Fuck!_ He didn't even think as he pushed himself up and started running in parallel to the wolf and as soon as he found the right angle he threw one of his knives in the front leg of the wolf, hoping that it hit since he could barely see. A little bit of hope bloomed in his chest when the heard a slashing sound followed by a whine.

He didn't glace at the creature because he knew that the other one was hiding in the night around them and could pounce at every moment so he ran towards the Reyvtail and grabbing him by an arm he pushed him behind some bushes. He noticed that he was breathing even harder than before and he had to half carry his weight. Even if he wanted to ask what was going on with him, there were bigger problems at the moment.

''Stay here, I need to see where my other knife ended.'' he said leaving and stealthy moving towards where he had thrown it but he couldn't see much, especially because the knife were smaller compared to a sword and it was difficult to see it on the ground.

All of a sudden he started hearing a slightly airy, soothing voice and little yellowish particles appearing in the air and to his surprise they started growing until forming flames all over the clearing, sending warm light over the area.

He finally felt a little bit of relief when he could see around him and pinpoint where the knife was. He looked around to see if the creatures were near then made a mad run for it. He noticed the blood on the blade and smiled. Now it was his turn.

Crouching and keeping his breath even, he started searching for the wolves. He saw the trail of blood that the one injured left in his way and it was not difficult to find them. The trees were bigger than what he was used to in the Upper World but the creatures were also and they couldn't hide behind the trunks.

Since he couldn't fight the creatures directly, his only option was to actually throw the knives and hurt their legs. When he saw that the one that wasn't injured started to sniff and air and suddenly snap his head in his direction he knew that he had to move. _Now!_ he started running, hearing the wolf behind him growl and unfortunately he could also feel his muscle strain. He had to act fast so he wouldn't lose speed. He tuned his ear to the wolf's paws hitting the earth, and when he couldn't hear the front legs of the creature touch the ground as before, he abruptly turned his body, slipping down, letting a grunt when his back hit the ground, and gripping his knives with force, he extended his hands slashing the creature in the thighs of the back legs as it leaped over him.

He could feel blood dripping on his clothes and the creature's whine as he hit hard the ground. The sound probably got the attention of the other one so he got up as fast as he could and looked around. To his surprise and horror the other wolf was already running towards him with his mouth wide open in a snarl and ready to shred him.

 _Fuck, I won't be able to fully dodge._ but he didn't even got time to put his body in motion that he saw a red- yellowish ball hit the wolf directly in the muzzle making him stop. The creature started trashing and moving its head around and finally understood what hit it: it was one of the flames that lit the surrounded area. He turned towards where the flame came from and saw the Reyvtail with a flame floating in his palm.

''Finish it.'' he said and he felt something in him grow heavy as he heard his voice so raspy and weak. It was so different from mere minutes ago but as the brunet started to move the flame towards the creature that now wasn't paying attention to him, he threw both his knives in its chest, making it knell and falling on the ground. Just when he heard the last puff of air he walked closer and took the knives out.

The fight took a stroll on his energies but they had to run away from this place as fast as possible since the light and smell of blood, even the noises, could've attracted other animals.

He put the knives in their place, around his belt and went to the Reyvtail.

''We have to go, do you have any idea in what direction?'' he asked and when the guy just pointed at their right he just nodded. He understood that he was tired and didn't want to talk more than necessary so he started going in that direction but when the flames surrounding them started to dim he turned to the standing Reyvtail with a frown. Even if the moon probably could help a little with some light, the flames were needed to be able to get out of there. But when he noticed his face, the heaviness in his chest grew more and as soon as the guy started to sway he made a rushed  to him,trying to catch him before he hit the ground.

''Hey, what is happening?'' he asked as he saw that the other's face was way too pale and he was shaking a little. He couldn't even keep his eyes open and his breathing was way too heavy for doing almost nothing physically. He gripped his torso, moving the Reyvtail's head on his shoulder.

''E-energy. I d-don't-'' he tried to respond but he was stopped by a cough. ''Y-you really don't-don't know s-shit... about Reyvtails.''

He really wanted to retort but it was true that he didn't know much about this race since in the Upper World there were almost none but he bit his lip and watched as the Reyvtail closed his eyes and went limp in his arms.

He gulped as he identified the heaviness in his chest.

He knew it was his fault as he remembered the guy's words. _Please don't let me die._

 


	4. Chapter 3

 

 

                                                                       [](https://ibb.co/bTtkJH)

 

The morning was still hours away but fortunately the moon was bright that night, casting enough light to be able to see were you were walking.

He left out a puff of air, stopping to position better the body over his shoulder. In a mild panic he tried earlier to wake him up but aside from breathing heavily the guy didn't move so in the end he decided to just try to carry him, hoping that he will wake up on his own and that he didn't have anything serious. They had to leave that clearance and he couldn't let him there, not after helping when he had been an asshole and threatened him. He was also almost sure that his state was due to being forced to sing, or at least it had something to do with magic. He didn't know much about this race, Reyvtails were rare in the Upper World and they certainly didn't talk about themselves so anything he knew about them was from books. One of the things he knew though was that Reyvtails' song power and efficiency was linked to their mental state or something similar.

He started walking again, in the direction the brunet pointed earlier, when he began to notice some low sounds, like heavy steps. He hurried to hide behind a tree, putting the guy's limped body next to him.

The sounds grew heavier as it come nearer and he really hoped that whatever creature was, it won't see them. He couldn't fight alone, not when he was exhausted from walking hours carrying the guy but he still drew his knives. It was more to calm his racing heart than anything else, the heavy, smooth handles gave him reassurance.

He noticed that as the steps drew closer, the tree's branches began to vibrate.

He started to breath slower almost unconsciously, and he closed his eyes drawing the Reyvtail's body closer. If the creature took just a sniff of them they were probably dead. The thing was either massive or very heavy if even the earth trembled when it stepped. He didn't dare to move as the thing passed behind the tree were they were hiding. Only when he thought it walked a good distance away he looked with the corner of his eyes. The only thing that he got a glimpse of was a long tail with dark scales all over it.

When the steps disappeared altogether he finally relaxed and breathed normally. And it was in this moment that his stomach reminded him that he barely ate in the last two days and prompting the guys body on the tree, he looked for his rations in the pouches hanging from his belt. As he expected he found only one bar of protein. He really needed to leave the forest a find the way towards a village. It's been days since he last ate a normal meal, with knights following him everywhere.

As he ate he looked at the brunet. He tried not to dwell too much on his physical appearance. He was pretty, there was no doubt, but what was an old Reyvtail looking in the middle of nowhere in the Wings of Horus? Not only he was alone, but he was so far away from the Lower World's capital, the place where all Reyvtail looked to live. He was so engrossed in his thinking that he barely noticed that the other started to stir.

Jin woke up feeling slightly dizzy and tried to open his eyes but a huge headache right behind them made it impossible so he just prayed that it was nothing serious.

''Finally.'' he heard a voice murmur and he instantly opened his eyes remembering what happened in the woods and why he was in this state. He started regretting it when the headache got worse but it was more important to see where was he and if any part of his body was missing. But he just met the eyes of the guy who got him here in the first place. He was at his right, looking at him and munching. He also noticed that they weren't in the clearance where they fought with the wolves.

''What-'' he tried to talk but a cough stopped him and noticed how raw his throat felt. He then proved to get to his own rations and get the water bottle, that he prepared for the trip to the next village, but as he tried to raise his arm it immediately went limp, hitting the ground. He tried again but none of his muscles wanted to move. He was feeling so heavy, like all his body was but just a massive rock.

 _Great._ he thought as he let his body go limp against the tree. He knew that he should panic a bit, being immobile in the middle of a really hostile forest with a stranger near you, but he really was too tired to even feel anything. And if the guy really wanted him dead he would have left him behind as he did show him the direction he had to take to get out of there.

''Are you ok?'' asked the guy and Jin just looked towards the tree's foliage, breathing in and shaking his head, wincing immediately after.

He heard the guy move and seconds later he found his vision being invaded by him. He was also obviously exhausted and his eyebrows drew nearer the more they looked at each other.

''You want water, right? I will get it for you.'' and as he said it he approached Jin, searching in his bag and getting the water bottle. He felt a little bit uneasy at how close they were, but he really wanted to drink so when the stranger opened it he tilted his head back; when the guy put the mouth of the bottle to his lips he drank almost all of it.

''Thank you.'' he rasped after some seconds as he tried again to move but to no avail. In the end he resigned himself to being numb for the next couple of minutes.

''I am Yoongi.'' the other said as he sat next to him. ''As you probably noticed I am from the Upper World.''

Jin had some sarcastic remarks on the tip of his tongue but he decided to just answer without possibly starting a fight.

''Jin, Reyvtail from the Lower World, as you know.''

Yoongi just nodded, thinking back at the black port that all Reyvtails had behind their neck that made him realize that the other was one of them.

''So, what happened? I don't know much about magic but I know at least that it is not normal for you to faint after just two songs.''

The brunet hesitated a little in giving an explanation. This guy was the reason he was there, in that state, but at the same it pissed him off that he didn't know how Reyvtails' songs worked. In the Lower World everyone knew about this race and their song magic.

''A Reyvtail should never sing under pressure, not only it may not succeed but it may also backfire. The Reyvtails' song power is linked to their emotions and mental state.'' and as he continued he looked towards Yoongi, who's gaze was locked in front on him, on a tree. ''If a Reyvtail has the right emotions for a song the magic can gain more stability and power. For example if a Reyvtail wants to protect someone and sings a song that gives a shield, the shield will be stronger and it may last longer than normal.''

''So if the Reyvtail is not feeling the song, so to say, the magic may not work properly. This is what happened with your first song, right? I threatened you so not only the magic lasted less than normal but it also backfired on you.'' the guy said and if Jin would have known him better, he would see the guilty set of eyebrows and his lips pressing together.

The brunet sighed, trying again to move his arms and when he could lift them up he closed his eyes in reassurance. Just some more minutes and maybe they could finally move from there.

''Actually the song worked. Not as it should since the duration was shortened but I also wanted the knights to stop getting closer. The problem was the song used. I am just a level two Reyvtail, I am average as songs and power go, but the song used is way above my level and my body and mind couldn't sustain it and singing again after that didn't help, it ate every energy I had.''

He used this song just one time before, when he started to travel, years ago, and some guys thought that it was fun to corner a Reyvtail and bully him. It was instinct that made him sang it but as soon as he finished his legs started to wobble and with his last strength he walked to the nearest inn and had to stay in bed for the next twenty minutes because he couldn't feel his legs. He remembered starting to hyperventilate because he didn't know what happened and he was so damn scared.

''Wait, if you are just a level two why do you know a song above your level? It was from a Hymn crystal then?''

''No.'' he responded ''Hymn crystals don't have levels. You can be a new, zero level Reyvtail and can read and sing a song from a Hymn crystal. That song was mine, from my Cosmosphere. I shouldn't know it and I don't know why I do.''

Initially he didn't know why he was feeling like that after a song but traveling an researching made him guess that it was the fact that this particular song required more energy and power than he had.

''The Cosmosphere, the world inside you, right? Then why didn't you use another song?'' Yoongi asked remembering a bit about levels and Cosmosphere from the books he previously read.

''Well, if you want to put it like this, yeah.'' he replied sighing ''The Cosmophere is more than a world tho, in there are located our feelings, fears; it's the most private place we hold. In there you can see even our link to the tower, from were our magic comes. It has ten levels and only a person can reach there: by diving; connecting the Reyvtail's mind to the one that wants to arrive in the Cosmosphere. It's normal practice here so there is a dive center in every town Reyvtails live. More than eighty percent of us are level two, me included, and as we receive just a song per level I don't have many where to choose from. It was the only option I had if I didn't want to set them on fire and maybe even the trees around us since every song could backfire in that situation.'' he tried to put the feelings he experienced in that moment away, since it wasn't the right time to dwell on it, and as he finished he tried again to move, this time being able to stand up. But seeing as he had to lean on the tree to do so, he decided to wait some more. Just when he sat down again he saw the Yoongi was tracing his every movement but when he caught his eyes he quickly looked away.

''I understand. So you had someone dive in your Cosmophere and they reached level two?''

''Yes. You really don't know much about Reyvtails. You don't have any in the Upper World?'' Jin asked in wonder. All he said in the last minutes was common knowledge, it was rare to met someone that didn't know this stuff but maybe the Upper World was more different than he thought.

''I met just one and he's part of the council, he's very private and won't talk much.''

Jin turned his head towards him, surprised. This guy looked around his age and in all his life he met just one Reyvtail. He knew the Upper World has been isolated for years before starting to build airships to connect with the Lower World. And even then, they decided to limit how many people could visit or stay in the Upper World but just one Reyvtail in the whole Platina-

''Wait, you mean the council of the Commander? Do you know the Council?''

The taller of the two saw as Yoongi froze for a second before answering.

''Well, yes. Platina is just a city, it is not big as the Wings of Horus. Everyone knows everyone there.'' but Jin knew that there was something more to it.

''The knights that were following you. They are from Platina and they were sent after you. Why would they chase after you, someone from the same place?'' and as he finished the question he knew that it was the wrong thing to ask. He noticed Yoongi closing himself off, setting his expression in a neutral one. He started pacing around and the more they stayed in silence the more the almost amicable feeling from before started to disappear.

 _Well_ he thought _here goes the peaceful atmosphere._

''Do you think you can walk now?'' he asked him dismissing his question and Jin just sighed trying again to move. This time he got up easier and he could feel all his muscles. His legs weren't trembling anymore, he would be able to walk but not fast.

''Yes.'' he sighed in the end even if he wanted to actually wait a little more but he didn't think he could remain in the cold air that settled around them.

Yoongi just started walking in the direction Jin indicated before and the latter began following at a slower peace. He had to look from time to time behind him to reassure himself that the Reyvtail was walking but when he noticed that he was breathing heavier than normal he went to him.

 _He's probably not alright yet._ And again he felt that heavy pressure in his chest. He didn't want to cause more harm to Jin, not when he acted normally and even talked and shared information with him about Reyvtails when he knew he didn't deserve it, but apparently he did it anyway.

''If your strength isn't fully recovered yet you should have told so. We could've waited more.'' he said as he took the other's arm and put it over his shoulder, making a bit of his weight.

''Sure.'' came the sarcastic reply and Yoongi bit his lip in annoyance. It was his fault that the nice atmosphere from before went down the drain but he couldn't answer him, it was something private, and he didn't know how to say that without sounding dismissive or like an asshole. Ultimately he preferred to act like he didn't hear the question but it was the wrong thing to do.

''I am sorry.'' he murmured in the end but it seemed that Jin didn't heard since they kept walking without a word.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Artist: concubot]
> 
> I will post here a glossary(?) and i will update it the more we go in the story.
> 
> Reyvtails- people that can use magic by singing  
> Hymn code- a song's code (ex. EXEC_B_LAPIS). You have to know the song's Hymn code to be able to sing it  
> Cosmosphere- the 'world' inside a Reyvtail, it is very private since it contains all fears and feelings of the Reyvtail. It had ten levels and is extremely hard to clear them. The highest level known was lvl 6  
> Diving (in the Cosmosphere)- its when a person enters the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Diving centers are all over the world, mostly located in big cities  
> Level (of the Cosmosphere)- is the level the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Around 85% of the Reyvtails are lvl 2. Reyvtails are divided by these levels since the higher the level the more powerful is the Reyvtail  
> (black) Port- a patch of blackened skin that all Reyvtails have behind their neck
> 
> the Tower (named Ar Ciel)- a tower half human made that keeps the floating lands together. The tower also gives Reyvtails power for their songs  
> Lower World- the lower part of the world, all the lands that the Tower keeps together. The Lower World is located at 1/3 of the Tower and its inhabitants are mostly middle class  
> Wings of Horus- the name on the primary and biggest floating land, 90% of the people live on it  
> Haerui forest- the most dangerous forest in the Wings of Horus. Here live a lot of magical creatures  
> Sea of death- the nothingness that surrounds this world. If anything falls in it, it disintegrates  
> The Church- the 'ruler' of the Lower World. While the Church doesn't officially command, it is the most powerful organization in the Wings of Horus
> 
> Upper World- the upper part of the world, it has a main city, Platina, and small wild islands. The Upper World is located at 2/3 of the Tower  
> Platina- the city in the Upper World, residence of the Commander. Most people never get to visit it  
> the Commander- the 'ruler' of this world  
> the Council- the council of the ruler, formed by almost every race known in the world. While the Commander has the last word over the decisions taken, the members of the Council put together are equal in power  
> Knights of Eorjia- knights from Platina


	5. Chapter 4

                                                                           [](https://ibb.co/b7by1c)

 

Jin leaned against a tree breathing deeply before starting to walk again, trying to keep the pace with Yoongi.

He has been able to identify their position thanks to the moon, traveling for years had its advantages, but it was almost morning and they had yet to find the road. Hiding every ten minutes behind the trees when they heard a frush wasn't helping but it was better than meeting the creatures of the forest. Unfortunately his body was starting to feel way too heavy, it had been a while since he last slept. He was so tired, he wanted to just plop down and never get up; only the promise of the road and getting out of the woods was making him walk. He didn't get any sleeping materials because the villagers said that in five hours he should've been able to arrive in the next village.

Unfortunately he met Yoongi.

He didn't even notice when the guy in question stopped and as a result he bumped in him, stumbling and almost hitting the tree nearby but thankfully the smaller of the two had quick reflexes and caught him by the arm.

''Thank you.'' Jin breathed ''Why did y-'' wanted to continue but when he looked in front he finally saw the dusty, small path that should've taken him in the next village. ''Finally.''

Yoongi looked at the brunet and tried not to show that he actually started to get worried the more they walked. Not only because the chances of getting out of the forest were becoming slimmer by the hour, but also because Jin started to get paler. He noticed how tired he was, and his previous condition didn't help; he had to look behind himself every minute because he was afraid that he may find Jin fainted on the ground. He wanted to call a break but the risk was too big and every time he opened his mouth to tell Jin to stop for some minutes, the image of the scaled tail he saw that night made him shut up and maybe walk a bit faster.

He didn't slept either for the past three days, having to run away from the knights as soon as he arrived on Wings of Horus, but he had some kind of training and his body was used to harsh conditions.

The more he looked at Jin, the more the worry and guilt started to ate at him. He hated that he had to involve someone innocent in all this mess, but he couldn't find any other way out. Now he just had to find a way to repay him, and maybe convince him to help him travel around the Lower World.

He bashed the thought of asking forgiveness. Because he knew he may not receive it and if he did it certainly wouldn't be genuine.

 

Jin felt his legs almost buckle in relief when he finally let the woods behind and started walking on plain ground: no moss or stones, no sound of twigs or leaves that made his heart leap in his throat.

''Should we stop for a while now that we found the road?'' asked the guy at his left.

It was a nice proposal but he was afraid that if he stopped now his legs would not work for the next three or so hours. He was too exhausted to get up if he stopped.

He looked at the rising sun and decided that no, they had to keep going. He wanted a damn bed in the next hours and he would get it.

They kept a slow pace, walking next to each other in silence and for the first time Jin felt awkward around someone. He didn't know what to talk about, actually he wasn't even sure if he wanted to talk. He just wanted to sleep and hopefully forget that this day ever happened.

Before his mouth could get ahead of his brain he noticed between the trees a weird shape, some kind of stone column, and remembering the other villagers' indications Jin turned towards Yoongi, ready to tell him that they were actually closer to the Kareo village than they thought but he was met with just air. He spun around until he noticed Yoongi standing some meters behind and was frowning looking straight ahead. Jin followed his eyes and was met with three people walking towards them. They were pretty far from them but he knew right away that they were two knights with a girl. They were towering over the girl, that probably didn't have more than 17 years, in their dark red armour.

He could fell bill rising in his throat the more he looked at them.

''They are just Red knights, from the church.'' he told Yoongi. He probably stopped when he saw their shinning armour and didn't recognize them or ''Do they know you? Are you also involved with the Church now?''

Yoongi shook his head and went near Jin, starting to walk again.

''No, no. I just... saw the armour and had to be sure. And Red knights? What kind of name is this, I thought they were called Knights of the Blessed Trio.''

Jin looked at the three people they were approaching and saw the girl in the middle, with a huge backpack, talking animatedly with one of the knights, who was also a girl. He responded to Yoongi without taking his eyes off them.

''Yes, but its a mouthful and people out of the Capital call them just Red knights. It's impossible not to notice first that armour color.''

Yoongi could not not agree, he actually couldn't believe than he almost run the other way when he spotted them and didn't observe the vivid color their armour had.

He turned to ask Jin some more since finally the silence broke but he shut his mouth when he saw that the Reyvtail's attention was entirely on the people in front of them. He wore a blank expression, save for the crease between his eyebrows, like he was trying to suppress any emotion from showing on his face but couldn't really do it. His attention was especially on the girl in the middle, who was way too animated for this hour in the morning. Jin's eyes then moved to the only male in the little group. He was calmly walking, his hands at his belt, probably close to draw his sword if needed. Like he knew he was observed, he looked towards them and when he met the Reyvtail's eyes, the change in Jin was instant. The brunet started walking faster, almost angry, and turned his head straight ahead. The knight looked at them a bit puzzled but did nothing else.

Yoongi just followed Jin, not knowing that the hell just happened, and only when the trio passed them by he turned one last time to look at them. And understood immediately.

He didn't know if he should approach the subject with Jin, seeing how he reacted, but he also wanted to know and understand more of this part of the world and until now Jin answered to all his questions.

Also, this could help him in his mission.

''We are near.'' said Jin out of nowhere, pointing between the trees and Yoongi saw huge columns of stone behind them.

_Fuck. I don't have time._ he thought. He had to talk to Jin before arriving in the town because he was pretty sure that they may never talk again after that.

He wouldn't if he was in Jin's position.

''Jin. Can I- can I ask you some questions about the girl with the knights?'' he asked trying to subtly make the pace slower.

The other looked towards him for a second then sighed lowering his shoulders. Finally the tension that filled him when he saw the trio left him.

''Yes and look, I tried not to glare too much and I know I didn't succeed. I had to make sure the girl wasn't coerced into going with them or something.''

Yoongi saw that Jin started to walk slower, to be in the same step with him, and almost let out a sigh of relief.

''She was also a Reyvtail, right? I saw the black port when I behind.''

Jin started to play with the hem of his shirt; he looked a bit unsure about responding or not.

''Yes, they were probably accompanying her to the Capital, Elemia. A lot of Reyvtails live there.'' and feeling how hesitant was Jin in sharing more he said what the other couldn't.

''I may not know much about Reyvtail but I know about the serum. Even the Reyvtail from our Council needs it and usually they send some of the knights to retrieve some from the Church.'' and as soon as he finished Jin glared at him, almost searching something, then touched the back of his neck, where the black port was.

''So you know that a third generation Reyvtail can't-''

''Wait, third generation?''

Jin huffed exasperated.

''What? Now you don't even know how the Reyvtail race was made?''

''No, I just never heard anyone calling the Reyvtails 'third generation'.''

''Look, there were the first three original Reyvtails, then appeared other five, the betas, it's said that they were some kind of clones of the original but who knows, all eight disappeared of the face of the world in the end and they left behind us, the third generation.''

''I knew this, but we call all the Reyvtails just... Reyvtails, or Reyvtails of the Lower World.''

''Well, we call the 'third generation' all the Reyvtails that need the serum.'' Jin looked at Yoongi to see if he was listening. He was sure that the guy knew more than he let on, but he could as well fill the silence with something that was common knowledge. ''The third generation Reyvtails have... more washed up Reyvtail blood so to say. They can't live over 22 years old. Until around twenty years ago when the Church discovered the serum that could extend a Reyvtail's life. They refuse to tell how they've done it or even what's in it, I just know that it works and you have to serve the Church for some years if you want the chance to get some of it.''

''By 'serve' you mean?'' asked Yoongi.

''Well, what do you thing 'serve' implies?'' he snapped but then immediately looked apologetically. ''Sorry, just, I don't really like the Church and I mostly avoid them. Anyway, serving usually means that they send you to do stuff in the name of the Trio they worship, I bet they also do this to maybe convert people. Reyvtails can heal, use crowd control songs if necessary, some people just feel better around a Reyvtail, they feel safe. And in exchange of that they give you the serum that keeps you alive.'' Jin sighed and watched ahead. The road was divided in four different parts, three of them leading towards in surrounding woods, just one leading to, the now visible, town's gates.

Yoongi looked for a second towards the town and asked:

''And the girl, the Reyvtail, is going to serve the Church?''

''Most probably. Nowadays most of the Reyvtails, if not all, leave as soon as possible their towns to go to the Capital, serve the Church and make a supply of serums so later they could live their lives as they want. Unfortunately most of them don't move out of the Capital, leaving the minor towns without Reyvtails.''

Yoongi observed Jin as he approached the gates of the town. He could understand why the Reyvtail hated the Church. Instead of giving the serum freely or even just telling how it's done, they obligated the Reyvtails to work for them, leaving entire towns without Reyvtails' help.

''It's sad.'' he whispered.

''It is.'' replied Jin as he passed the gates.

Yoongi stopped and looked around. The town was mostly composed by little brown- orange brick houses, some of them were constructed even on the huge columns of white stone that could be seen all over the town. The roads were plain as the one they walked to arrive here, no stones, asphalt or marble as in some places in Platina. It was so grungy looking compared to the whiteness and huge, sophisticated buildings of his home-town. He never saw houses like these before, just in some books. From Platina most of the buildings were seen as just some dots in a huge mass of green and blue. He was happy to finally be out of there, he always hated being restricted in a single place with the same people. He wanted to put his hand on a house and feel, see and experiment how things worked in the Lower World. He felt something bubbling in his stomach.

For the first time he felt excitement at the prospect of learning something new.

They were part of the same world, but it felt like he was on another planet.

His eyes then followed Jin, who was approaching a young girl, and slowly started to walk towards him. At the beginning, when he saw him, he panicked and used any means to be able to escape from the knights, he didn't think that he would hurt someone in the meantime. His chest still ached with guilt every time he looked at Jin and remembered what he did, what it felt like days ago, but where mere hours; but now there was something more.

He was intrigued.

What was a , what looked, over 20 years old Reyvtail doing alone, in the middle of the forests of Wings of Horus when most of the Reyvtails moved in the Capital to take the serum?

''I know the way to the inn.'' said Jin, bowing a little to the girl that he talked to, making Yoongi snap out of his thoughts.

''Let's go then.''

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original artwork from the Ar Tonelico game.
> 
> Reyvtails- people that can use magic by singing  
> Original Reyvtails- the first 3 original Reyvtails  
> Beta Reyvtails- the next 5 Reyvtails after the Originals. Rumor goes that they are copies or made using the DNA of the Originals  
> 3rd generation Reyvtails- Reyvtails with 'washed up' blood. They need to take a serum (that only the Church has) to be able to live over 22 years  
> Hymn code- a song's code (ex. EXEC_B_LAPIS). You have to know the song's Hymn code to be able to sing it  
> Cosmosphere- the 'world' inside a Reyvtail, it is very private since it contains all fears and feelings of the Reyvtail. It had ten levels and is extremely hard to clear them. The highest level known was lvl 6  
> Diving (in the Cosmosphere)- its when a person enters the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Diving centers are all over the world, mostly located in big cities  
> Level (of the Cosmosphere)- is the level the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Around 85% of the Reyvtails are lvl 2. Reyvtails are divided by these levels since the higher the level the more powerful is the Reyvtail  
> (black) Port- a patch of blackened skin that all Reyvtails have behind their neck
> 
> the Tower (named Ar Ciel)- a tower half human made that keeps the floating lands together. The tower also gives Reyvtails power for their songs  
> Lower World- the lower part of the world, all the lands that the Tower keeps together. The Lower World is located at 1/3 of the Tower and its inhabitants are mostly middle class   
> Wings of Horus- the name on the primary and biggest floating land, 90% of the people live on it  
> Haerui forest- the most dangerous forest in the Wings of Horus. Here live a lot of magical creatures  
> Sea of death- the nothingness that surrounds this world. If anything falls in it, it disintegrates   
> The Church- the 'ruler' of the Lower World. While the Church doesn't officially command, it is the most powerful organization in the Wings of Horus  
> Elemia- the Capital of the Lower World  
> Knights of the Blessed Trio(aka Red Knights)- knights that serve the Church
> 
> Upper World- the upper part of the world, it has a main city, Platina, and small wild islands. The Upper World is located at 2/3 of the Tower  
> Platina- the city in the Upper World, residence of the Commander. Most people never get to visit it  
> the Commander- the 'ruler' of this world  
> the Council- the council of the ruler, formed by almost every race known in the world. While the Commander has the last word over the decisions taken, the members of the Council put together are equal in power  
> Knights of Eorjia- knights from Platina


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you donțt know the meaning of some of the words used (Upper World, Wings of Horus, Platina) in the end notes they are briefly described.

 

 

                                                                        [](https://ibb.co/gctBeS)

* * *

 

 

Yoongi did expect this, so when him and Jin arrived at the inn and Jin specifically asked for two rooms with the most distance possible between them he said nothing.

He watched the taller man taking a big breath as he turned towards him.

''This is where we split. I don't care what will you do from now on, just don't involve me.'' he said and without another word he took the keys to his room and left.

He also took his keys, the girl at the counter giving him a sympathetic smile, but he just nodded at her and went up the stairs, towards his room, and as soon as he opened the door he plopped himself on the bed taking down his belt and knives. The room was very simple, a single bed in the middle with a desk and nightstand on either side and a door, hopefully leading to a bathroom. The establishment itself was small, the building having just around six rooms on the second floor with the first floor being a mix between a dinning and living room. They were in the middle of nowhere so it was expected. What was unexpected thought, was the lack of technology. Only the lights seemed to be advanced, but he saw no computer at the reception, no gadgets on people, no public transport.

He started to ponder about Platina, how more modern looking it was. The giant buildings were nothing like this, everything was intricate and ornate: white, iridescent swirls on the houses or furniture, stairs made of marble, doors and windows made of colored glass. The strange think was that he didn't miss it. Maybe it was the fact that he's been away just for a few days but he knew that he's never been fond of the tall, white buildings that formed Platina.

He felt suffocated and watched all the time.

He felt imprisoned in a huge, glorified cage.

He felt alive for the first time when he started running on the Wings of Horus and felt grass beneath him. It has been such a different, ecstatic feeling.

Yoongi looked out of the window still laying down and smiled at the view: the sun up in the sky, trees all around, columns made of stones, small houses and the Tower in the distance sustaining them all.

He wanted to protect that.

 

Yoongi woke up startled, immediately searching for his knives. He looked around and for some seconds he didn't recognize were he was but then he remembered that him and Jin finally found a village.

He looked out, a street light illuminated his room, then at the clock on the nightstand and groaned. He slept more than 16 hours, and surely his body need it, but he couldn't relax so much with a bunch of knights on his tail. While these knights were also from Platina and most of them surely have never been in the Lower World and would need time to find him if they made it out of the forest, it was important to evade them if he wanted to start his research.

As he sat up he became aware of his dirty clothes unpleasantly sticking to his skin and he didn't wait much to open the other door in his room and mentally thanked the owner of the inn as he later sat in the bathtub. Unfortunately he had to put on the same clothes since he didn't have any other. He will have to do some shopping before leaving.

No knowing what else to do he lied down on the bed, trying to form some kind of plan. But the fact was that he could do nothing if he didn't know where to go. He could leave the village and ask for directions but he barely knew the Lower World's map, the Capital could be weeks or months away.

He needed Jin. And he had to convince him before he would leave the inn. But he didn't know him, he couldn't find a motive for why should he help him but his thoughts were interrupted when he heard faint, hurried footsteps passing in front of his door.

He quietly sat up and went to his door, putting a ear on it before opening it. The steps became louder and he noticed they belonged to more than one person. The hall was illuminated so he silently went towards the stairs for the ground floor, from where the noises came. He looked over the railing and his steps faltered when he saw Jin, a glowing green light over his head, hunched over an quivering little girl sprawled on the carpet, his hands centimeters away from her leg. He barely registered that there were more people, a woman with her hands on the mouth trying to hold in her cries and other two man, because he could hear a faint, soothing melody coming from Jin. Goosebumps started rising on his skin and he felt like someone was pushing him from behind and didn't even comprehend when he started to walk down the stairs. The words started to became more clear but with it a melancholic feeling started to spread in his chest and he stopped walking.

****

__**\- alone  
From your hands, I feel your warmth  
Ayy you never walk alone  
Feel me, you’re not alone either**

 

Yoongi closed his eyes and started to let his muscle relax. He wasn't used to hearing a Reyvtail sing, he knew Reyvtails had beautiful voices, but hearing Jin hit him way harder than he ever thought. In the forest he has been too concentrated on escaping and forming plans than listening to him and now that he could clearly hear Jin's voice and words, was incredible. He could feel the power, showering him and enveloping him in a sweet cocoon with his slightly airy, smooth voice.

But the sensation abruptly stopped when the girl on the floor began coughing and looking around frightened so Jin started talking to her while, presumably, the mother sat down and started caressing the girl's hair.

''Thank you. Thank you so much. Our doctor lives further from here, but we heard that there was a Reyvtail staying at the inn, that is way closer. We couldn't move her much, with her leg like this. Thank you, thank you so much. '' she started whispering without taking her eyes off the girl.

Yoongi saw Jin nodding to her and his eyes were instantly pulled to his back. The Reyvtail was wearing a large white shirt, and while he looked broader in the garment, Yoongi was drawn to the exposed black patch of skin on the back of his neck and he felt like a lighting struck him. At the same time Jin turned around and when their eyes met the brunet's expression changed from a content, satisfied one to thoughtful, almost angry. He then broke the contact and got up, leaving after telling the mother that she could now take the girl home and that she should be alright. The fact that he was limping didn't go unnoticed.

 

Yoongi spent most of the next days in the village's shops. Unfortunately there weren't many, as they had caravans traveling in the nearby towns every other week and he most certainly wouldn't be able to stay until he could catch one. He started gathering supplies, from clothes to food and stuff for sleeping outside. He even bought a backpack, having forgotten everything in the ship since his first priority when he landed was to run and hide, possibly avoiding the knights that were searching for him. He left a lot of stuff on the ship but he couldn't start going back to it since he not only didn't remembered the way it was, being surrounded by trees on every side while running for your life didn't help much in memorizing where he was going, but most certainly the knights took hold of it.

The rest of day though, he spent it making sure that Jin didn't left yet. He knew the Reyvtail was shopping for supplies too, having bumped in him on numeral occasions and he sometimes could hear his voice coming from a nearby house.

It was the third day in the village when finally Yoongi saw Jin alone, sitting in the inn's ground room at a table so he gathered all his resolve and sat opposite of him.

_Now or never._ He thought as Jin looked at him before turning his head towards the window and starting sipping from his cup.

''Look, I wanted to say sorry.'' he started but the Reyvtail put his cup down waving dismissively at him.

''No, it's fine. What happened, happened. Just... leave me alone.''

''No, Jin. Listen.'' he insisted ''What I did was absolutely stupid, I never thought of actually asking for help because most people would immediately side with the knights and I had to get away from them. When I noticed you I just saw a way of running from them not an actual person and... I am so ashamed of it. I don't want your forgiveness, I don't deserve it, I just want to let you know that I am sorry.'' Yoongi saw Jin opening his mouth a few times, trying to say something but in the end he just sighed, supporting his elbows on the table. ''But I still need you.''

''Yoongi...''

''You are dying, right?'' he asked and when Jin threw his head up, looking directly at him, Yoongi was taken aback by the intensity in his eyes. They were dark and big and they seemed like they were looking directly into his soul, like they were searching for something. When Jin lilted slightly his head, his breath stopped in his lugs. There was something unnerving about him.

''So?'' the Reyvtail asked breaking the link between them and Yoongi took the opportunity to get his breathing back to normal and trying to explain himself.

''That's why you are traveling. You are already at the age where most of the Reyvtails won't survive without the serum and you are nowhere near the Church and you don't seem like you are working for them. You have around 22 years, you are just waiting to die.'' Yoongi watched Jin take the cup, starting to play with the handle for a bit. He knew he was right, no Reyvtail would be so far from the Church if he was working for it, and surely never alone. At least he knew that the Church would never leave a Reyvtail unprotected. He felt his skin crawl at the thought that Reyvtails' life was already decided as soon as they were born and that they had to fight and do so many things just to get a chance to live. It was awful but he couldn't do anything about it. ''But I can help you.'' he continued.

''How?''

''I have a friend that moved from Platina and went to work for the Church in the Capital. Every half a year the Church sends serums for our Reyvtails in exchange of other crafts and he is the one that controls and secures the trade. If needed he can give me some serums, we are good friends and he knows that I wouldn't ask something from him if it wasn't important.'' he felt a bit like he was betraying Platina with revealing this but he had to give up some secrets if he wanted Jin on his side.

''I can't trust you. You know this.'' Jin said without looking up this time.

''I know. Accompany me at the Capital and the first thing I will do will be giving you the serum, I promise.'' he replied but minutes passed and Jin still didn't say anything, he was just slowly sipping from his cup. The silence was eating at his nerves. He knew he had nothing else but a promise, and a stranger's promise was nothing. But he hoped that Jin could see that it was worth taking the risk of trusting him if it could bring him the serum.

''What do you need me for?'' and Yoongi almost slumped in his seat in relief but the fight was far from over.

''I have a mission here on the Lower World. Unfortunately I know nothing of this place, I have no map, I don't know how to go in certain cities and I need somebody that does.''

''I traveled a lot in the past years, I could help you, but here are my conditions.'' and as he said that, Jin pushed the empty cup aside and looked at Yoongi. Now that Jin was in perfect condition he could feel that he was a man that you shouldn't mess around with. He normally had a more calm, sweet almost docile aura to him when he walked around the city, especially when he had to help someone. But now he was steady and serious and if Yoongi did a mistake, the Reyvtail would walk out and never see him again. ''First, we go straight to the Capital and you give me at least 2 serums. Secondly, no bullshit secret mission. If you want my help you tell me what you need to do. I am not helping a random stranger to then discover that he's trying to kill someone or doing something illegal. You already lost a point since the one that rules Platina is after you. The only thing that still keeps me on this chair is the serum and my stupid gut feeling that says that you actually aren't a bad guy.''

_Fuck._ thought Yoongi as he started to collect his thoughts and determine what could he tell the other . At the moment he couldn't trust Jin enough to tell him everything about his mission, it was secret for a reason, but he had to give him something. He also didn't want to lie because if Jin in the end would travel and help him, it will end badly when everything will be revealed.

_I can feel a migraine coming._

''Ok. So... I am here to retrieve something and after that to search for someone. I can't give names now, maybe once you will have the serum, but I can show you later what I am looking for. I keep a hologram with me.'' he said patting his thigh where he kept the device in a the hidden pocket ''The problem is that I... actually stole this hologram from Platina and tha- wait! No, listen!'' he frantically said when he saw that the Reyvtail wanted to get up. ''It's really important, believe me. I was sent to search for this from someone who's high-up and whom I trust with my life. Look, we are in danger, this thing I look for can resolve it all, but I had to do it alone and in secret because I don't know who to trust from Platina. I know I don't make much sense but stuff started to go downhill in Platina, some people are corrupt and want to destroy the city, if I hurry and come back with my mission complete I can expose them.'' Yoongi watched as Jin sat down again and let out a big sigh. His mission was messier than he described but it was way to early to talk to someone about it. It didn't involve only Platina but their whole Tower, the thing that was keeping them alive, was in danger.

''Ok then. I want to see what you are looking for and how much time do you have until you have to go back?''

''It is- it is a hymn crystal. I can show you how it looks like when we are not in public.'' responded Yoongi uncertain but Jin made just a humming sound so he continued ''And I don't have a set time. Just as fast as possible but I know it can take some months to try to finish it.''

''A hymn crystal you said.'' murmured Jin tapping lightly on the table. He seemed to be processing all the things he said, so Yoongi let him be but only after some seconds he said something that made Yoongi rethink what he knew about the Reyvtail. He was way more than a Reyvtail with a sweet voice and a pretty face. ''And the 'someone' that you will have to be looking for is, by chance, someone that can use the crystal? It is known that usually hymn crystals can be used by any Reyvtail, so you shouldn't look far to get one to use the crystal for you. This mean that the crystal is more specific and there are only eight Reyvtails that are special. There is no way that you are not searching for one of the first pure-blood Reyvtails, not after mentioning how important the crystal is.''

Jin looked straight in his eyes, challenging him to lie and defame what he said but he just nodded.

He had to be more careful in the future.

''No, that's exactly it.''

Jin smiled and for a moment Yoongi was taken aback.

''Good. I will help you then.''

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reyvtails- people that can use magic by singing  
> Original Reyvtails- the first 3 original Reyvtails  
> Beta Reyvtails- the next 5 Reyvtails after the Originals. Rumor goes that they are copies or made using the DNA of the Originals  
> 3rd generation Reyvtails- Reyvtails with 'washed up' blood. They need to take a serum (that only the Church has) to be able to live over 22 years  
> Hymn code- a song's code (ex. EXEC_B_LAPIS). You have to know the song's Hymn code to be able to sing it  
> Cosmosphere- the 'world' inside a Reyvtail, it is very private since it contains all fears and feelings of the Reyvtail. It had ten levels and is extremely hard to clear them. The highest level known was lvl 6  
> Diving (in the Cosmosphere)- its when a person enters the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Diving centers are all over the world, mostly located in big cities  
> Level (of the Cosmosphere)- is the level the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Around 85% of the Reyvtails are lvl 2. Reyvtails are divided by these levels since the higher the level the more powerful is the Reyvtail  
> (black) Port- a patch of blackened skin that all Reyvtails have behind their neck
> 
> the Tower (named Ar Ciel)- a tower half human made that keeps the floating lands together. The tower also gives Reyvtails power for their songs  
> Lower World- the lower part of the world, all the lands that the Tower keeps together. The Lower World is located at 1/3 of the Tower and its inhabitants are mostly middle class   
> Wings of Horus- the name on the primary and biggest floating land, 90% of the people live on it  
> Haerui forest- the most dangerous forest in the Wings of Horus. Here live a lot of magical creatures  
> Sea of death- the nothingness that surrounds this world. If anything falls in it, it disintegrates   
> The Church- the 'ruler' of the Lower World. While the Church doesn't officially command, it is the most powerful organization in the Wings of Horus  
> Elemia- the Capital of the Lower World  
> Knights of the Blessed Trio(aka Red Knights)- knights that serve the Church
> 
> Upper World- the upper part of the world, it has a main city, Platina, and small wild islands. The Upper World is located at 2/3 of the Tower  
> Platina- the city in the Upper World, residence of the Commander. Most people never get to visit it  
> the Commander- the 'ruler' of this world  
> the Council- the council of the ruler, formed by almost every race known in the world. While the Commander has the last word over the decisions taken, the members of the Council put together are equal in power  
> Knights of Eorjia- knights from Platina


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a glossier in the end notes if you are unfamiliar with some words used.

 

 

                                                                 [](https://ibb.co/cvtWi8)

 

It was the last day in this village and Jin still didn't know if he made the right decision. In the last two nights it was all he he could think about. The unusual thing was that he didn't agree to this for the serum, for him it wasn't that important, but because something was pushing him to accept the agreement. He couldn't tell what and why but he felt like he needed to help him even if his mind was telling him that it was a bad idea.

In the end he had to resign to the fact that he accepted.

He knew that it will be a difficult trip since Yoongi surely wasn't a simple guy with knights running after him, adding the fact that they were in the wildest part of the Wings of Horus, where technology wasn't as developed as in the Capital or other cities near it.

He looked at the foot of the bed where his backpack was ready for tomorrow, then pushed his hair up, massaging his temples.

He started to feel this weird, creeping sensation choking him since he agreed to leave for Elemia. It was harder to breath and swallow. His eyes would randomly start to tear up just at the thought of leaving the streets he's been traveling on for 2 years and going closer to the more populated land.

He was afraid.

He hasn't been like this since he left his home town and started traveling alone in a world he knew nothing about. He could fool anyone but in the end he knew himself best and couldn't lie: he was afraid because this trip was different. He was afraid because he knew that once he stepped out of these woods he will never be the same ever again.

 

Yoongi couldn't sleep.

In less than five hours he would leave this village and start the first part of his mission. He was excited but also a bit uncertain and guilty. He was involving an innocent person in all this mess he had to carry. It all happened too sudden for him to prepare to this. He spent half his life training as a knight but he never learned about the Lower World. Most of the knights from Platina were sent to fight in the upper part of the Tower and the wild islands that threatened the airships, while the knights from the Church worked to maintain the peace in the Lower World. This mission came way too abruptly and his only knowledge about where he arrived was from the books he read in his free time.

His mind was way too full of things and didn't pay attention around him so when his bottle of water felt down he just glanced at it. But not even two seconds latter he sat up when, to his horror, he could feel the entire room slightly vibrate. He looked at the wardrobe when it started cricking.

_No... it can't be._

He immediately got up and ran towards the door, having to lean on it when everything around him started to shake.

_Fuck. Not now, dammit._

His heart started to pound so loud that he had a hard time concentrating on what was going on: stuff from the nightstand and walls moving, loud steps and shouts outside his room and lights flickering. Everything lasted just three seconds but it was enough to sneak panic in people.

Including him.

When everything calmed down and when he could tell that the ground wasn't moving anymore, he let go of the door and opened it. He walked towards the stairs from where he could see the ground floor and he was met with six puzzled people.

''Everyone is alright?'' asked someone and Yoongi saw the girl that was usually at the reception. He went down the stairs and noticed an older man checking on each person and asking if they needed something, mostly likely he was the the owner. Some just nodded and sat down on the chairs. ''Good, I think everyone got out of their room. We better stay for a bit here to see if-'' but in that moment a man walked in and looked around until he saw the older man.

''I think you should see this. This was not an earthquake.'' and both walked out without a word, letting behind more dumbfounded people.

Yoongi had a really bad feeling about it and before the girl could call him back he ran after the men. There were a lot of people outside even if it was the middle of the night, but when he saw that some were on the highest point of the columns and were looking amazed in the distance, fear gripped his chest so tight that for some seconds he couldn't breath.

''Please, please...'' he started murmuring walking towards the nearest column. ''What is going on?'' he asked a woman that was staring at the people on the columns. She glace at him for a second before starting to worry her bottom lip.

''We've had some earthquakes, it happens when the village is at the extremity of the land, but they were always just little shakes that lasted around a minute. We usually use the columns to look around and see if something was damaged but when some of us got up to look around... all we could see was dust. A big cloud of dust some kilometers from here.''

Yoongi looked at the sky.

''Could I go up there too?''

''Yeah, I don't think they will tell you off.'' and before she could even finish the sentence Yoongi started to climb the stairs that were on each column. He could feel his knees shaking with each step but he pushed on and when he arrived at the highest point he took a deep breath and looked towards the location everyone was staring at.

The moon was so bright that you could perfectly see each tree, each house and the huge mushroom dust that was slowly receding. It was in the middle of the woods, exactly on the other side from where him and Jin arrived.

The more he looked the more he realized that his fears were becoming true.

He stared entire minutes, even when people started to go down since it the dust didn't seem threatening, with his heart in the throat.

This was reality.

This was why he was here.

He looked up, and up, at the small clouds that obscured Platina and at what was beyond that. Something from there felt down. He was sure of it.

He looked one last time in the distance before walking down too. He would have to look again in some hours to see what actually happened there, when the dust would settle down.

The streets now were emptier, but he barely paid any mind to it, he just walked inside the inn, where people were now louder and way more relaxed than before.

''Yoongi it was?'' asked a feminine voice from behind and when he turned he was met again with the girl from before.

''Yes.'' he simply replied and just then he realized that he was fidgeting. ''Something's wrong?''

''Umg, the tall guy that was with you... he never got out of his room.''

Yoongi furrow his eyebrows and started to move towards the stairs. This was strange.

''I will go and see if he's ok, don't worry.''

''Please do...'' she said hurriedly ''I went and knocked but the door was closed and I c-'' but he was already too far to hear her because he started to run towards the side of the inn where he knew Jin stayed. This was really unusual and surely Jin wouldn't have left him there alone.

He started opening the first two doors and when he saw that they were empty he moved to the last one but when he tried the handle it moved but the door didn't open. He put his ear to it but not hearing anything he started knocking on it.

''Jin, are you th-'' started to say to then stop when he heard a scraping noise. ''Jin? Jin are you there?'' he repeated trying to open the door again but to no avail. He was actually starting to get worried. ''This is not funny, at least are you ok? Everyone is down, what is happening?'' He started to hear more crashing sounds and clattering so he invigorated his attempts.

He was about to knock again when he noticed a scrap of paper being pushed under the door towards his foot. He stared at the door before reaching down and read it. The writing was very shaky and purposely written bigger so he could understand it. 'I am ok, leave me alone' it said but the more he read it the more his chest grew heavier.

He definitely was not alright.

''Jin? I am sorry but I won't leave until I see that you are alright.'' he said aloud before knocking again. ''I know I am pretty annoying at the moment, and I have no right to be here but you are really worrying me.'' He waited some seconds and not even a sound came from the other side he sat down, setting himself against the wall. ''I just sat down here and I can talk until I see you with my own eyes then I will go.''

He didn't know how much time it passed but he could feel the sleep creeping down on him when finally he heard noise from inside the room.

''Jin?'' asked getting up and silently swore when he felt his hipbone pop. He's been staying in the same position way too long.

The heard the lock and then the door being open just a fraction. He waited a while before opening it more and getting inside.

When he looked up he could feel his heart actually break. Pieces of paper all over, every drawer open, a broken lamp and a pillows on the floor, the sheets were haphazardly on the bed and you could see half the mattress and in the middle of it all it was Jin. He was sitting on the bed with his head down, his hair covering any expression he had.

Something was really, really wrong.

''Jin?'' he asked slowly approaching him.

''Why- what ha-'' he heard before Jin started coughing. His voice has so raspy and wet, he startled when he realized that he must have cried. Yoongi looked around for some water and went and got the bottle that saw in one of the pockets of the backpack. He gave it to Jin before sitting near him.

The Reyvtail looked towards him and Yoongi had to suppress his surprise when he was met with a really tired face and red eyes. He let Jin drink before trying to speak with him again but it was him who started the conversation, after he closed the bottle.

''Wha- what happened? It was an earthquake, right?''

He wanted to ask him what happened in the room, since it was obvious that it wasn't just the earthquake that made this mess, and why he locked himself in the room but maybe that was crossing a line he had yet to reach.

''Yes, but it wasn't natural. I think something fell down from the upper part of the Tower.'' and as soon as he said that Jin's shoulders slumped shaking slightly. ''Jin?'' he asked putting a hand on his back.

''So- so it wasn't-'' the Reyvtail tried to say as he rapidly wiped his cheeks. ''Thank God.'' and he took a deep breath looking upwards.

Jin looked relived for some reason so Yoongi tried not to burst the calming bubble by telling him that something just broke off from the Tower and that definitely wasn't good.

The Reyvtail stayed silent for some more seconds and Yoongi found himself gently rubbing his back without noticing.

''I thought it was me.'' he murmured looking at Yoongi with the corner of his eyes.

''What? Do you mean-'' but Jin just signed and with a forced smile got up and went towards his bathroom, leaving behind a puzzled Yoongi with his hand in the air. He looked after him before getting up.

_But... no existing Reyvtail can cause an earthquake._

 

After Jin let Yoongi alone he went downstairs, now emptier than before. The girl from before was at the reception and he sent a smile her way, just to assure her.

After that he went towards his room and even if he was a bit tired he knew he won't be able to sleep. And he still wanted to check on Jin in some hours so he started to put the things that fell off before throwing himself on he bed.

He didn't know how time passed since he stayed in his bed mussing over all the things happened and just when he started seeing a light from his window he got up. He felt as tired but they had to leave the village that morning.

As he got his backpack and went downstairs he was met with people already eating breakfast. He sat down at one of the tables, his gaze moving every minute towards the stairs that Jin should've come from. In the end he didn't check on him, not because he didn't want to, but putting himself in the brunet's shoes he understood that he wouldn't want to be seen in that state and being doted on by a stranger.

Even if they met a week ago, in the end that's what they were: strangers. And it was confirmed with every passing day. He didn't know more about Jin than the first day.

Yoongi was eating when he looked up again towards the stairs and his heart leaped when he saw Jin walking down with a backpack of his own. He swallowed when relief burst from his chest as he saw him walking towards him without any sign of distress.

Their eyes met and for the first time in his life he felt like he couldn't move. His heart started to beat faster the more he looked in those bottomless, calm eyes. His head was full of thoughts, he was telling himself to stop it, to look away but his body was so drawn to him that for a second he was afraid of being under some song magic. But Jin drew his eyebrows in worry and blinked slowly, releasing Yoongi from the spell and he went back looking at his breakfast so fast he felt dizzy for a second. He started wondering what the hell happened while trying to get his heart to stop wanting to get out of his chest.

''Hey.''

Yoongi felt his cheeks redden for some reason when he heard his voice and with a stilled voice, that he totally didn't have at the moment, he tried to greet him.

''Morning. You should eat some breakfast before we leave.'' He saw Jin put his backpack on the chair and stop near him.

_Don't look up. Don't look up._ He started to repeat in his mind because he could feel his heart not really under his control and that scared him a bit.

When Jin walked away he almost slumped on this plate.

That wasn't his morning.

In the end they ate in silence, Yoongi's heart slowly calming down but refused to look up until Jin was done.

He took his backpack and after paying at the reception they left the inn.

''Before we go, I need to climb on a column and see what exactly felt down. The dust should've settled down. Come, you should see it too.'' and the Reyvtail just nodded, following Yoongi.

No one got in their way and with trepidation they walked the stairs towards the top. They started looking around, finally pinpointing the thing that caused the earthquake and his breath stopped in his lugs. A flat, round piece of metal big as a house was standing in the ground, slightly tilted over the wood's trees.

_It's one of-_

''The Blast Plate.''

Yoongi turned suddenly towards Jin and immediately knew that something was wrong. He was staring at the Blast Plate but his eyes were vacant. His voice also sounded almost robotic. Then he started to walk in front without even blinking and Yoongi had to take him by an arm and stop him or else he would've ended flat on the ground.

''Jin?'' asked the smaller of the two shaking one of his shoulders.

He was actually scaring him.

When Jin started blinking again looking around Yoongi let a small sigh escape him.

But still... _That was weird._

''Oh, so this is the thing. Looks really strange.'' Yoongi looked at him in wonder. What was he talking- ''What is this?''

He gazed at Jin for more than necessary, he knew it, but that a really stupid question. He himself just answered it just seconds ago.

''It's... one of the Blast Plates.''

''And what is that? I read a lot but never heard this name before.''

_Is he joking?_ But he could read on Jin's face that he really didn't know about the Blast Plates. Then how he identified it himself earlier?

''The Blast Plates are some huge pieces of metal created to protect the ground from anything that could fall from above, the really top of the Tower or space. They are right atop Platina.''

''Mmh, yeah. We don't have a lot of information about the Tower. We can barely go to Platina, I know nothing of what is beyond that.''

Jin just nodded still looking over the woods, but this time he was normal.

_What the hell is going on? And what I got himself into..._ and while he thought about it Jin really wasn't a normal Reyvtail. Not just the fact that he knew what a Blast Plate looked like, and forgetting about it not even two seconds later, but also the songs. He used a higher level song than his Cosmosphere, he... started panicking because he thought that the earthquake was his fault, a thing a Reyvtail couldn't do.

_Who are you really?_

 

* * *

[Map of the Tower we know until now](https://imgur.com/QrDSBuH) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reyvtails- people that can use magic by singing  
> Original Reyvtails- the first 3 original Reyvtails  
> Beta Reyvtails- the next 5 Reyvtails after the Originals. Rumor goes that they are copies or made using the DNA of the Originals  
> 3rd generation Reyvtails- Reyvtails with 'washed up' blood. They need to take a serum (that only the Church has) to be able to live over 22 years  
> Hymn code- a song's code (ex. EXEC_B_LAPIS). You have to know the song's Hymn code to be able to sing it  
> Hymn Crystal- a crystal that has a Hymn code (so a song incorporated)  
> Cosmosphere- the 'world' inside a Reyvtail, it is very private since it contains all fears and feelings of the Reyvtail. It had ten levels and is extremely hard to clear them. The highest level known was lvl 6  
> Diving (in the Cosmosphere)- its when a person enters the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Diving centers are all over the world, mostly located in big cities  
> Level (of the Cosmosphere)- is the level the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Around 85% of the Reyvtails are lvl 2. Reyvtails are divided by these levels since the higher the level the more powerful is the Reyvtail  
> (black) Port- a patch of blackened skin that all Reyvtails have behind their neck
> 
> the Tower (named Ar Ciel)- a tower half human made that keeps the floating lands together. The tower also gives Reyvtails power for their songs  
> Lower World- the lower part of the world, all the lands that the Tower keeps together. The Lower World is located at 1/3 of the Tower and its inhabitants are mostly middle class  
> Wings of Horus- the name on the primary and biggest floating land, 90% of the people live on it  
> Haerui forest- the most dangerous forest in the Wings of Horus. Here live a lot of magical creatures  
> Sea of death- the nothingness that surrounds this world. If anything falls in it, it disintegrates  
> The Church- the 'ruler' of the Lower World. While the Church doesn't officially command, it is the most powerful organization in the Wings of Horus  
> Elemia- the Capital of the Lower World  
> Knights of the Blessed Trio(aka Red Knights)- knights that serve the Church
> 
> Upper World- the upper part of the world, it has a main city, Platina, and small wild islands. The Upper World is located at 2/3 of the Tower  
> Platina- the city in the Upper World, residence of the Commander. Most people never get to visit it  
> the Commander- the 'ruler' of this world  
> the Council- the council of the ruler, formed by almost every race known in the world. While the Commander has the last word over the decisions taken, the members of the Council put together are equal in power  
> Knights of Eorjia- knights from Platina
> 
>  
> 
> I also wanted to ask you: do you think that Yoongi is too soft? In the fics that i read (months ago tho) Yoongi is way more 'cold' and snappy. In the first 2-3 chapters he is more 'cold' since he doesn't know Jin but here is starting to became more soft and I wanted to know if you are alright with it.  
> And another thing: what do you think is (wrong with) Jin?


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a filler chapter, i think that after this one the plot should start.  
> Please tell me if you like it or if you feel like something is wrong.
> 
> As always, if there are words that you don't know about most likely they will be found in the end notes.

 

 

 

                                                                       [](https://ibb.co/eSt0oT)

 

It's been hours since the last time any of them said anything.

Yoongi was more the silent type, so he didn't mind, but there was something in the air between them that was making him almost fidget. He looked towards the Reyvtail now and then but Jin just walked forward, barely acknowledging him.

He decided to keep an eye on the other for the time being. After the incident on the column Jin went on like nothing happened, and Yoongi wanted almost to believe that he imagined the way Jin's eyes glassed over when he saw the Blast Plate but he couldn't. Not when there were more weird stuff tied to his behavior.

He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Jin knew about the Blast Plates since there were so few people that knew about what was above Platina. Airships couldn't reach higher than Platina, there were wild islands and unnatural storms that protected the higher part of the Tower. Only the residents from Platina knew about the Blast Plates and what was beyond them, but even that was kept under tight security. No one was allowed beyond Platina without the Commander's word.

His eyes went again to his right and looked at Jin from head to toe, searching for something, anything that could tell him who was the person next to him. But he just looked like a normal person, just with a black patch of skin hided behind the collar of his blouse. No weird ears, hair or aura, nothing that couldn't characterize him as a normal Reyvtail.

''For how many years have you been traveling?'' he found himself asking. The question seem to startle Jin, maybe because it was the first word he said since they left the village, but he didn't seem bothered by the question and answered right away.

''Around six years.'' Yoongi nodded but it went unnoticed since the Reyvtail didn't even look at him.

The smaller of the two let out a sigh when he didn't know how to continue the conversation. To his surprise he found himself wanting to talk more with Jin, to learn more about the Lower World, Reyvtails and even Jin himself. But he was also afraid of asking the wrong question and putting this little peace between them to a halt. He knew they weren't friends, they were in this for a goal, and if he wasn't careful with his words tension could rise again between them.

''I think we should stop. The night is approaching and if I am not mistaken there is a clearing around here where we could sleep.'' Jin indicated to his right with head and Yoongi just nodded, following him when the Reyvtail left the street and started walking between the trees.

The forest was different from the one they escaped from. The trees were smaller and sparser and light could penetrate between the branches, giving it a yellowish glow. The Haerui forest had like a sinister aura, one step in the wrong place and you knew you were done for but here everything was calmer. But he knew that looks can be deceiving so he looked left and right, tightly gripping his knives, prepared for any creature that wanted to come in their way.

''Should we really sleep outside, in the middle of nowhere? I still remember what happened last time we were out of the road.''

''Don't worry. The more we walk towards the Capital, the fewer the dangers in the forests. People walk these streets a lot so most of the creatures started to move where they know no humans dare to go. Haerui is exactly at the north-east border of the Wings of Horus, one of the few parts where humans left the nature alone. These streets though are very populated by merchants that travel from Elemia to north, where most of the rural population live. There are located clearings and meadows where you can sleep.'' he finished pointing in front of him where a clearing could be seen. There were even stones put side by side, resembling seats, and patched of ground where grass didn't grow.

''So you walked around here before?'' asked Yoongi as he put down his backpack, massaging his left shoulder. When Jin said that they would take more than four days to arrive at their destination, Yoongi packed a lot of stuff, including water and blankets and after walking more than 10 hours, even his trained body could feel their weight, making them slow down in the last hours. He was actually a little surprised that Jin kept going without a problem, starting to get tired just a while ago. It seemed that traveling made him more resistant that he looked.

He was about to open a bottle of water when he heard a noise between the bushes and without thinking he palmed one of the knives and threw it towards it. As he hit the trunk of a three, he heard a high pitched sound, and he got in position to throw the other one was needed.

''Yoongi, wait!'' he felt Jin's hand on his back but he kept his eyes still on the bush and to his surprise a small, light blue ball started jumping, running away from them. He couldn't have more than five centimeters, with black round eyes and small, barely visible mouth and no legs or arms. Looking with more attention he noticed that it wasn't round, but had a pointy head, resembling a tear drop. ''It's a pom. They are harmless.'' Yoongi kept looking at the creature until it disappeared then went and grabbed his knife.

''A pom? What's that?'' asked as he went back to his backpack, but his body was still tense. He didn't know the Lower World so he couldn't know which creatures would harm them and which won't.

''It's the most common creature around here. What you saw was a water pom, it was so small because it didn't rain for more than a week now. They feed from the water so to say.'' explained Jin as he rummaged in his backpack for food.

Yoongi took a swing from his water bottle while he looked around, any trace of light vanishing, the sun already hiding after the mountains and trees. He still felt tense, restless. He hated staying in the open, in a place he didn't know. He took the flashlight from his backpack and put it on one of the stones, illuminating the trees round them. It was useless to go and look for branches to make a fire, it could take too much and they were already too tired.

''So I should expect more of them from now on?'' He sat down on one of the stones, starting to chew on a sandwich.

It was so weird to look around and be surrounded by green and clean air. He never in his life experienced this, it felt like he was free; like he could run and scream and nobody would bat an eye. In that moment he truly understood that Platina was just a small, white cage.

He knew that it was a fickle sensation so he let his shoulders drop, trying for a least a minute to stop worrying and thinking about the mission.

''Yes. They are quite a few around here, in the rural areas, and even a lot of types. In my- where- in my hometown-'' and Yoongi couldn't not notice how his voice got a bit softer ''-you could find melopoms and tompoms everywhere. The little shits love eating tomatoes and we had to shoo them every autumn. They are harmless though. Some of them are even useful; the fire ones for example. They can swallow flames so when there's a fire, having one around could save you.'' finished Jin with an yawn.

Yoongi nodded and seeing the Reyvtail take out the sleeping gear, he also started to make his bed. He knew that both of them should go to sleep but they barely talked today and he didn't want to end the conversation so early. Plus, he was learning a lot of new stuff.

''So the poms are harmless, are there creatures that I should worry about?'' and then he remembered the wolves that they met in the Haerui forest ''And what about the ones that resembled wolves, the ones we fought?''

''I think they call them night stalkers. Usually the wolves leave you alone as long as you don't instigate them or stay too much in their territory. But they have some big brothers that are quite violent. The night and mist stalkers usually live just around the Haerui forest, around here you could find just a feral wolf that could harm you. But even they live quite deep in the woods, you can't find one around here.'' and while Jin talked he started to even out a bit of the grass where he wanted to sleep, almost cutting himself when his hand found a piece of glass sticking out of the ground. He started searching for it, tugging it out and to his surprise what came out wasn't glass but-

''A crystal!'' Yoongi looked up when he heard Jin's voice much closer than he expected and blinked a few times when he found himself face to face with him. He found himself staring at the shadows cast by his eyelashes, and he felt how his cheeks started to get warmer when the Reyvtail blinked slowly, reminding Yoongi of a butterfly's wings. When he saw those plump lips starting to slowly stretch in a smile, he forced his eyes to move to his palm, where he was still gripping the crystal.

When he noticed how fast were his heartbeats he bit his lips, swallowing the curses he wanted to let out.

''I was actually surprised that we didn't stumble on one earlier.'' said the Reyvtail, making Yoongi's thoughts return to the crystal. It had a transparent- bluish color and was longer than any crystal he saw before. It reminded him of the hologram he had of the hymn crystal he was searching for; the color was almost the same, but not the form: it was still on the longish side but with way more faces.

''What do you mean?'' asked after he started turning it in his hands. It was oddly cold.

''It's a hymn crystal.'' and when Yoongi snapped his head up with wide eyes he continued ''I mean an empty hymn crystal. They can be found anywhere on or in the ground, they are not rare but they are useless if they don't have a hymn code.''

Yoongi saw as Jin went back to his laid down blanket, leaving him with more questions.

''How do you know that it's empty?''

This time, when Jin responded, his voice was farther than what Yoongi preferred.

''Because it's transparent. When a crystal has a code in it anyone would be able to tell. It will have energy in it, like little bolts of electricity fighting each other and it will have a small glow.'' Not knowing what to do with it, in the end Yoongi put it in his backpack and continued to make his bed. Before sitting down, he took the flashligh and turned it off, not wanting to waste the batteries. But without the small light and the moon up in the sky he wasn't able to see Jin, and for a second, just a second, he felt the fear coil in his gut at the thought of being all alone.

''And how can they get a code?'' he asked turning towards the side where Jin was laying. He heard the Reyvtail move before he responded.

''The crystals absorb the energies around them. A crystal needs a sudden, powerful energy to be able to assimilate and form a hymn code and that's why most of the hymn crystals can be found near natural disasters. If there is a crystal near a flood, most likely the crystal will form a hymn code for a water based song.'' Yoongi started to think about this new information and his mission. Crystals could be found anywhere, and while his was different, he couldn't negate the fact that maybe, founding it will be impossible. ''I know that you think.'' said Jin, moving Yoongi's attention again on his voice ''Your hymn crystal most likely is not made naturally. Someone from Platina gave it to you, and since it can be sung only by one of the first Reyvtails it was probably made by one of them. Who knows what kind of powers they had that we don't know about. You will not find it as you found this empty one. I bet it is hidden somewhere.'' and Jin had a point, but still ''The problem is that it can be anywhere.'' and the thought wasn't reassuring. But getting to the Capital and searching for any rumors could be a start. Yoongi didn't even begin to look for it and he didn't want to let his mind start to dwell on the fact that it may seem impossible.

Since he didn't know what else to ask, their discussion ended so Yoongi closed his eyes, wanting his body to succumb to the needed sleep. But now he didn't have Jin's voice to distract him, and the open world around him slowly started to swallow him: nightly birds chirping and flying over his head, insects buzzing, not to talk about all that frushing from the bushes and trees that made him tenser. Until now he had a bed under him, but now he was conscious of the hard, cold ground and without wanting he shivered. He tried to think of something else, but on his mind was only the mission, and that thought didn't bring anything good.

He look up at the open sky and in that moment he truly felt that he was alone. He has been thrown in a world where he knew nothing about, with a do or die mission that was near impossible. He left behind his parents, his friends, all the people he knew, for this. He didn't regret it, he couldn't, but the fact was that this was a huge responsibility, everyone counted on him. He took some deep breaths and tried to lessen the lump that was forming in his throat. He wanted to do this, he wanted to save everyone, but he had to give up so much for it. There was no one on his side, no one's hand that he could take and reassure him.

He turned his head on the side when he heard something moving and realized that it was probably Jin. He was about to ask if something was wrong when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His first instinct was to lean back from it, but in the end he closed his eyes, something warm starting to bloom in his chest.

Then out of nowhere a honey-like voice started to fill the air around them, his eyes immediately snapping open. He remembered that voice.

Jin was some centimeters away, words in white faintly hovering above his frame: EXEC_B_ LUX.

 

__**You know it all  
** You’re my best friend  
The morning will come again  
Because no darkness,  
No season  
Can last forever 

 

He noticed a warm, white glow at his feet and when he looked he saw a small ball of light slowly starting to get bigger. His eyes moved back to Jin, who continued to softly sing, and touched his hand. The warmth in his chest started to almost pulse inside of him when he saw the Reyvtail smile in response and he couldn't suppress one of his own.

Maybe he didn't have a hand to hold onto, but he had a voice.

_Thank you._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artist: Mikago Kotaro
> 
> Reyvtails- people that can use magic by singing  
> Original Reyvtails- the first 3 original Reyvtails  
> Beta Reyvtails- the next 5 Reyvtails after the Originals. Rumor goes that they are copies or made using the DNA of the Originals  
> 3rd generation Reyvtails- Reyvtails with 'washed up' blood. They need to take a serum (that only the Church has) to be able to live over 22 years  
> Hymn code- a song's code (ex. EXEC_B_LAPIS). You have to know the song's Hymn code to be able to sing it  
> Hymn Crystal- crystal that has a Hymn code (so a song incorporated). Empty hymn crystals can be found anywhere on the ground, like stones.  
> Cosmosphere- the 'world' inside a Reyvtail, it is very private since it contains all fears and feelings of the Reyvtail. It had ten levels and is extremely hard to clear them. The highest level known was lvl 6  
> Diving (in the Cosmosphere)- its when a person enters the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Diving centers are all over the world, mostly located in big cities  
> Level (of the Cosmosphere)- is the level the Reyvtail's Cosmosphere. Around 85% of the Reyvtails are lvl 2. Reyvtails are divided by these levels since the higher the level the more powerful is the Reyvtail  
> (black) Port- a patch of blackened skin that all Reyvtails have behind their neck
> 
> the Tower (named Ar Ciel)- a tower half human made that keeps the floating lands together. The tower also gives Reyvtails power for their songs  
> Lower World- the lower part of the world, all the lands that the Tower keeps together. The Lower World is located at 1/3 of the Tower and its inhabitants are mostly middle class  
> Wings of Horus- the name on the primary and biggest floating land, 90% of the people live on it  
> Haerui forest- the most dangerous forest in the Wings of Horus. Here live a lot of magical creatures  
> Sea of death- the nothingness that surrounds this world. If anything falls in it, it disintegrates  
> The Church- the 'ruler' of the Lower World. While the Church doesn't officially command, it is the most powerful organization in the Wings of Horus  
> Elemia- the Capital of the Lower World  
> Knights of the Blessed Trio(aka Red Knights)- knights that serve the Church
> 
> Upper World- the upper part of the world, it has a main city, Platina, and small wild islands. The Upper World is located at 2/3 of the Tower  
> Platina- the city in the Upper World, residence of the Commander. Most people never get to visit it  
> the Commander- the 'ruler' of this world  
> the Council- the council of the ruler, formed by almost every race known in the world. While the Commander has the last word over the decisions taken, the members of the Council put together are equal in power  
> Knights of Eorjia- knights from Platina


End file.
